BY SHAMAOMA MUSONDA –
THE Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has settled for Uganda as Chipolopolo’s opponents for the March 5, international friendly match to be played at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
This is, however, contrary to the association’s earlier announcements that Zambia will play a 2014 FIFA World Cup-bound team which was also in line with FAZ’s policy of exposing the Chipolopolo to high profiled international friendly matches.
FAZ spokesperson Erick Mwanza said at a media briefing at Football House in Lusaka yesterday that up to three high profiled nations refused to play Zambia in Ndola because of logistical challenges.
Mwanza said Ndola had a challenge of meeting the FIFA stipulated minimum requirement of a three-star hotel for a national team adding that all countries approached were sceptical about making a long road trip on the day of the game.
But Mwanza was quick to state that FAZ had already closed a deal to play a country going to the World Cup later in the year and would make the announcement later.
“After several consultations and engagements with different federations, we have finally settled for Uganda because none of the other three teams we had lined up was willing to come and play in Ndola for a number of reasons.
“We were optimistic that the new Heroes National Stadium in Lusaka would be ready for use and our planning was around hosting the match at the National Heroes stadium. But we’ve had to adjust and switch to Ndola,” he said.
Asked on how Zambia managed to host a World Cup qualifier against a top side like Ghana and also a high profile friendly against Norway in Ndola, Mwanza said that Ghana and the rest of the World Cup qualifying teams were obligated to travel to Zambia.
Mwanza said the Norway match had its own logistical nightmares which included chartering two planes to fly the Norwegian delegation into and out of Ndola on the day of the game.
He said unlike the World Cup qualifiers, most opponents FAZ had talked to had an option of accepting Ndola with it challenges or turning it down.
Mwanza said FAZ was grateful to Uganda, whom Zambia faced in the 2013 Africa Cup of
Nations qualifier in Ndola, for accepting to play at the magnificent Levy Mwanawasa stadium.
He said the 18:00 kick-off match will see three quarters of the 40,000 capacity stadium gate charges pegged at K50 or less with only the VIP and Grand stand tickets going for K150 and K100 respectively.